Personal Favor
by xoc13
Summary: Crossover with Stephanie Plum universe, but is Bones centric.B&B are on vacation and make plans to spend it together,when Brennan calls to cancel Booth wonders why she's returning a favor.Give it a chance.R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**I've wanted to do a Bones/Plum crossover. This fic is mostly Bones sided. If you haven't read the books by Janet Evanovich here's a quick overview:**

**Stephanie Plum:****"in the first book, one for the money,**** Stephanie has been laid off from her job as a lingerie buyer, she is being forced to sell off her appliances one by one in order to pay her rent, and her car is repossessed. This last straw prompts her to turn to her cousin Vinnie, owner of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, for a job. She originally hopes to find a file clerk job at the Bail Bonds office but the position was taken, and the only position available is as an apprehension agent or bounty hunter. Vinnie refuses to hire her, but she manages to convince him to give her a shot by threatening to blackmail him. Stephanie's financial situation is still rather perilous, partially due to her poor financial skills, and she often finds herself seeking alternative ways to earn money in order to pay her bills."**

**Ranger (Ricardo Carlos Manoso): "Ranger is Stephanie's fellow bounty hunter and tutor and sometimes known as Batman because of his mysterious ways. Ranger is Cuban-American, and drives a rotation of very expensive black cars (Stephanie has lingering questions about the origin of Ranger's car-supply, but he will only say **_**'Don't ask'). He is the C.E.O. of RangeMan, Inc., a security company (among other things). Stephanie's relationship with Ranger, somewhere between boyfriend/girlfriend and teacher/pupil, provides much of her day-to-day stress"**____**Early background:**__** 2 years at Rutgers, Newark. Served in the Army, special forces. All other records lost in unexplainable fire.  
><strong>__**Distinguishing Characteristics**__**: 200 watt smile, body that could stop a clock, pony tail.  
><strong>__**Usual Attire:**__** Black T-shirt, black cargo pants, Navy S.E.A.L.s hat.  
><strong>__**Conclusion:**__** Approach with caution. Most likely carrying concealed. Highly skilled in many departments. Specializes in locks…**_

**This fic will revolve around Ranger's request for Brennan to help ID a set of remains, her accepting as a 'personal favor' and Booth (and you the readers) wondering why she's returning a favor to his man.**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD **

"Oh yeah." Booth whistled through clenched teeth, lifting his sock clad feet to rest on his coffee table. "Feels good, doesn't it?" He eyed Brennan sideways as she sat next to him.

"Yes, this vacation is well deserved." She stated, placing a hand on his left thigh. "I'm sorry you won't be spending it with Parker."

"He'll be back from summer camp in two weeks." Booth squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'll just spend my free days with _you_." Booth flashed her his charm smile but it quickly faded when she remained silent. "You aren't going to a dig in some far away country, are you?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"No." Brennan answered instantly, disliking the heart crushing look he'd given her only seconds before.

"Then, we're set." He drew an arm around her shoulders, crushing her to her side. "What's the plan?" He wagged his eyebrows at her.

"I will be making the last revisions for my book. With that out of the way I can focus on research for the scho..." Brennan cut herself off when she saw the disgusted look Booth was giving her. "What?" She blinked genuinely innocent eyes at him.

"Okay, the book I get, but you can't spend your vacation working!" He laughed, shaking his head. "You know what?" Brennan eyed him with curiosity. "I'm gonna make sure you have a fun, _non-work_ vacation." His cheeky smile was contagious.

"What do you have in mind?" Brennan cocked an eyebrow at him, suddenly very interesting in what he had to offer in form of 'leisure' and 'fun activities' in their time off.

"Nope." Booth stood and stretched. "You'll have to wait and see." A twinkle lit his gaze, as he offered his hand for her to rise from the couch.

He scooped up the empty take out cartons to toss them on their way out of his apartment.

B&B

Brennan threw the bolt on her front door and left her purse on the small table she kept by the door. Without turning any lights she headed over to her bedroom.

Being caught up with thoughts revolving around her partner and what he was planning for them, it was only until she was halfway through her living room when she felt the shift in the atmosphere suddenly realizing she wasn't alone.

Adrenaline kicked in, her mind racing. Her purse was by the door and her gun was in her bedroom. Her senses were heightened in the dark, feeling cold sweat run down her back at hearing the rustle of clothing to her left.

The intruder was sitting on her couch!

She was ready to bolt and strategically place some distance between them.

The lamp next to the couch came on as a male voice greeted her, "Temperance."

B&B

After dropping Brennan off at her place, Booth showered and watched a late night sports report.

He'd just turned down the covers to call it a night when his phone rang. Seeing that it was his partner he grinned.

"Heya, Bones." Booth let out a bark of laughter. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited to spend almost every waking minute of their time off with her. "Too excited to sleep?" He questioned with a hint of a tease in his tone.

"Booth…" Brennan cut him off. He instantly snapped to attention, not missing the seriousness in her voice.

"Are you alright?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, listen, Booth."

_She's leaving town? What the hell? _

The questions swam in his head. She'd seemed thrilled with their plan only a short while ago. A nagging thought in his mind had him wondering if she was running away, but he quickly discarded it. They were doing well. They had been for a while and if she was breaking her word, there had to be a good reason for it.

"Remains?" He dumbly repeated when she informed she was on her way to New Jersey. "For what agency?" Booth silently pondered what sorts of risks she could encounter. They were partners and whether danger was a factor or not, he would go as well.

"It's not a request from any agency." Came her response from the other end of the line. "I'm doing this as a personal favor." Brenan snuck a quick glance at the man behind the wheel of the black SUV. "I will contact you when I return to DC." And added with a soft whisper, "I was really looking forward to what you had in mind for tomorrow." Ending with that statement, Brennan hung up.

"Complete medical history." Without further explanation Ranger passed her a thick file. The anthropologist took the manila folder, instantly scanning over the information.

.

"If you would like to make a call, please hang up and try again." The automated message brought Booth out of his shock.

_A personal favor?_

"But for who?" Booth tossed his phone on his bed, running a hand through his hair.

**Reviews are appreciated and will let me know what you think of the beginning of this story…**


	2. Murder attempt

**Thanks to all of you who read, reviewed and alerted. It means a lot that you are giving this story a chance. **

**I was asked if B&B are romantically involved in this fic. Not yet, they're on that working for more stage. Obviously, Bones is not pregnantXD As for the Plum universe, it can be set anytime after Twelve Sharp, when Steph finally acknowledges she loves Ranger too. I was also asked if Lula (a former 'ho and Steph's sometimes 'sidekick' in apprehensions) will be in the story. So far, Ranger and Steph are for sure, but depending on how the story plays out I'll decide if I'll introduce other characters. At the beginning of each chap if another character from the Plum world will appear I'll give a brief description (or, I'll do so as they appear in the chapter).**

**Tank: Ranger's right hand man. Built like a tank…**

**In this chap we get more plot:D hope you all like it:)**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD **

Upon arriving to Trenton, New Jersey Brennan was taken to the local police department. Ranger explained the current situation: bodies turning up, same MO, all males.

"The police have their hands full trying to ID the bodies." Ranger led the way into the building, never breaking stride. "My right hand man, Tank, went missing four days ago. Yesterday morning a body turned up on a vacant lot by the outskirts of the city." As they reached an office Ranger told Brennan that Tank's wallet was on the body.

After introducing Brennan to the person in charge of the case the man showed them to the morgue on the basement level, welcoming any help he could get.

"I know you're the best." Ranger spoke so only she could hear before they entered the morgue. Brennan nodded. She understood what he was asking of her. He needed to know if the remains WERE those of his right hand man. A few years ago he might have had to spell it out for her, but thanks to Booth she's learned quite a lot about nonverbal communication.

The coroner helped lay the remains out. The facility was rudimentary at best and Brennan acknowledged she's had less to work with.

Brennan's eyes scanned over the decomposing body.

"Pelvis indicates male, mid to late thirties." She began.

B&B

It was late afternoon and Booth couldn't be any more impatient. He's called Bones numerous times after spending several hours pondering _who_ she was doing a favor to.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, deciding he needed to get to New Jersey ASAP. He'd go about looking for her when he got there. His partner's a world renowned forensic anthropologist and bestselling author and he's a Special Agent from the FBI. Finding her would be no rocket science.

His cell phone rang, his heart racing with hope that it was his partner. The readout read '_Angela_' and Booth sighed, taking the call.

"Hello, handsome." She greeted in her usually cheerful tone. "I've been calling Bren to say goodbye before we leave, but she's not answering. I thought I'd try hitting you up." Angela laughed, teasing him by asking if they were finally barricaded and kissing the life out of one another. Booth rolled his eyes at the artist's comment before asking if she had any knowledge of Brennan having 'friends' in New Jersey. "In Jersey? No...not that I know of. What's going on?" Angela listened to Booth, nodding to herself. "What do you need?" Angela asked, also getting a bad vibe from what Booth was telling her.

"Well, if that private plane of yours..." Booth hinted.

"Say no more. You got it."

B&B

"Based on the medical history I was provided with and my own examination of these remains I feel comfortable with the assessment that these remains are _not_...Tank's." Brennan hesitated on the name, it was still easier to compartmentalize if she didn't use names. Plus, what kind of name was Tank?

Ranger gave her an almost imperceptible nod, acknowledging her words. Relief flashed briefly across his eyes before he masked it and turned to the officer.

As they exited through the back of the building Brennan pulled out her cell and noted how many missed calls she had, both from Booth and Angela.

"Reception is bad to non-existent in the basement." Those were the last words Brennan heard from Ranger as they found themselves enveloped by gunfire.

Ranger wrapped an arm around her waist, falling to the ground with her. His body covered hers, pinning her beneath him. Police officers milled out of the building.

Silence fell and Brennan inhaled Ranger's scent, feeling both of their racing heartbeats. It's been a long while since she's had a warm, hard body over hers making her need a couple seconds to process what Ranger was telling her.

"What?" Brennan asked as he moved away. Ranger's gaze landed below her waist, right thigh.

"I'm getting you medical help." He announced, putting pressure on the wound. It was then that Brennan realized she was hit by one of the bullets.

B&B

Stephanie key fobbed the elevator to the seventh floor at RangeMan, Ranger's private apartment floor. As she rode the elevator she picked out a piece of lettuce from her hair. So far her morning had started bad. She was tipped of the whereabouts of one of her skips only to be tossed into a passing garbage truck.

"Ugg!" She stomped out of the elevator and let herself into the apartment. With the whole dead body turn out thing Ranger had her doing a couple searches for him. Needing money for her rent payment and other assorted bills, she was in no position to turn down a RangeMan check. Besides, she felt very safe in the building.

Lost in thought she made her way to the bedroom only to come to a sudden halt.

Finding a woman in Ranger's bed was something she'd mused before, yet actually seeing a WOMAN, other than herself, in HIS bed was quite a shock.

Brennan opened her eyes the moment she sensed a presence in the room. After a quick visit to the hospital Ranger put her in his apartment for protection. He'd left her alone, giving her a gun and instructing his people to keep their eyes open and Brennan safe while he was out looking into the shoot out incident.

"Who are you?" Brennan questioned, sitting up in bed, still somewhat droopy from the pain meds she was given the night before.

"St-Stephanie Plum, bond enforcement agent." She nodded towards the bathroom. "I sometimes work for Ranger." She took a good sniff at herself. "I need a shower before I get to work." Brennan nodded, watching as the other woman who smelled like a garbage truck grabbed some clothes from the closet and dashed inside the bathroom.

Stephanie picked out more trash out of her hair and peeled off her clothing. As she stepped under the hot water spray she blushed.

"Stupid." She told herself. "It wasn't enough to be the laughing stock of two garbage collectors, but you had to barge in on Ranger's _girl_ friend while she was still in bed!" She chastised herself, working on her hair and hoping to get as much out as she could.

"Breakfast." Ella, Ranger's housekeeper, entered the apartment with a tray of food and a bag with clothes for Brennan. The anthropologist left the bedroom when Stephanie headed for her must have shower, migrating to the living room.

"Thank you." Brennan slowly walked towards the elder woman.

"You're welcome." Ella spotted Stephanie coming from the bedroom and arched an eyebrow, making a mental note to provide more clothes for Stephanie for future use. "Breakfast?" Stephanie declined, still feeling a bit nauseous from her garbage encounter. Ella nodded and left.

Brennan's cell phone rang. She groaned, seeing it was Booth.

"Hello, Booth." Brennan braced herself. She was expecting a rant from him for not answering her phone.

"Bones! What the hell happened? Where are you? Are you alright?" Booth told her that the news about the murder attempt _against_ her was ALL OVER. Before Hodgins' private plane even landed he received a call from an ex army buddy.

"I'm okay, Booth." Brennan assured. "It's just a flesh wound."

"Where ARE YOU?" Booth ground out, asking for the second time.

"Really, Booth, I'm fine. I'm at RangeMan. I believe that's what it's called." Brennan glanced at Stephanie for reassurance.

"Yes, this is RangeMan, Inc." The bounty hunter reassured.

"Okay." Booth inhaled, counting to ten in an effort to get his heart rate to slow. "I need an address." Booth told his partner.

**Reviews are appreciated. I like to hear your thoughts on this.**


	3. Booth arrives

**Wow, thanks for the enormous response to this one. So glad lots of you are giving it a chance. I know crossovers are difficult to get into, especially if you have no idea where the other half comes from. If you're reading and feel a bit lost as to the non-Bones characters, shoot me a PM and I can give you a short run through for better understanding.**

**This chap's a bit short, but after over a week with no internet and no posts I decided to upload this bit for now. In this chap, Booth shows up and meets Ranger;)**

**Disclaimer: ****Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD**

The cab pulled up to the megabucks seven story building with an underground parking garage. Booth scanned the building's front entrance, finding a small plaque that simply stated it was RangeMan, Inc.

"Thanks." Booth paid the cabbie, grabbing his duffle bag and opening the door. As Booth angled out of the vehicle, the driver let out a deep growl.

"You're a cop." Booth stared back at the man, managing to close the door as the cabbie gunned the pedal and sped away. Booth just grunted and walked into the building.

A huge muscled man wearing all black stood in the lobby.

"Special Agent Booth." Booth flashed his badge, stating he was there to see his partner. The man didn't move, listening attentively to his earpiece.

"Miss Brennan is not available at the moment." The man walked towards Booth, indicating he should leave. Booth didn't budge, making it loud and clear he wasn't leaving without his partner.

.

Stephanie ambled over to Ramon, one of Ranger's many workers, and looked over his shoulder at his computer screen.

"Who's he?" She questioned, referring to the scene in the main lobby.

"The guy's FBI. Says he's here for his partner, but we have strict instructions from Ranger to keep Miss Brennan safe. So…" The man chewed his bottom lip in consideration.

"Well, buzz Ranger and tell him this guy's here." Stephanie suggested.

"Uhm…" Ramon began, "Ranger just came in about a half hour ago. He was out all night looking into some business. I don't wanna be the one to wake him up." The man snuck a sideways glance at Stephanie. "Why don't _you_ go tell him?"

"No way!" She didn't want to walk in on Ranger and his… _special_ friend.

"I'll help you bring in the skip that threw you into the garbage truck." Ramon knew it was an offer she couldn't turn down.

"Fine." Stephanie headed towards the elevator. She needed to make several captures and help, correction, _good_ help couldn't be turned down.

As she walked to Ranger's apartment front door, she mustered up her confidence.

_Ranger's free to see whoever he likes._

The short pep talk was designed to quell that nagging little voice in her head that kept reminding her that there was a _woman_ staying with him, sparking the jealousy in her.

.

Brennan was reviewing her recording from the examination she did the previous day. She was convinced that by positively identifying the remains initially believed to be those of Ranger's right hand man she would get some answers. Whoever was behind the murder, and possibly the others, didn't want the body IDed.

_Why?_

Brennan was pondering the question when there was a knock on the front door. She raised an eyebrow, wondering who it was. Glancing in the direction of the bedroom where Ranger slept, Brennan rose from the couch and slowly walked over to the door.

Checking the security hole Brennan found it was Stephanie. Brennan opened the door, stepping aside to allow the other woman to enter. Brennan was informed that her partner was downstairs in the lobby asking for her.

"Booth's here!" Brennan was quickly out the door, suppressing the urge to slow down. She was looking forward to being close to Booth, although she knew there was no escaping a lecture from him.

Stephanie was torn between going after Brennan and calling Ranger.

"Damn!" She ran towards his bedroom, pulled the covers from his form and shouted that she was going after Brennan. Stephanie hurried to the elevator, subconsciously licking her lips, storing a 'mental pic' of Ranger in his silky black boxers.

.

Booth impatiently crossed his arms across his chest, staring at the man in front of him. Nope, he wasn't going anywhere without his partner.

"Booth!" Brennan's voice shifted his gaze towards her slightly limping form headed his way.

"Bones…" The moment Booth took a step in her direction he was pinned to a nearby wall by the man in black. In the next moment Booth was released, finding that Brennan had strategically struck the man.

"He's my_ partner_." She stated, apologizing to the man. Brennan appreciated the protection set up by Ranger, though she felt it was a bit excessive. Striking one of his men didn't exactly convey it, but Booth was first.

"Bones…" Booth repeated, wrapping his arms around her and basking in the feeling of having her in his arms. "We need to talk." Booth whispered in her ear as they ended their embrace. Brennan nodded.

Once in Ranger's apartment Brennan filled Booth in on the events after he dropped her off at her place the other night.

"Any news on who put a hit on you?" Booth asked, hating that someone wanted Brennan six feet under.

Ranger walked into the living room, freshly showered. Booth turned and watched the man, meeting him for the first time. Quick introductions were made, but Booth suspected 'Ranger' wasn't the man's real name.

Ranger had heard Booth's question. He stared at Brennan and then at Booth, silently assessing how much the FBI man could be trusted.

"Booth is my partner. I will pass any information over to him." Brennan glanced over at Booth, years of trust catching up with her. "He's trust worthy."

Ranger let out a low sigh. Filling the agent in might become detrimental. Too many feelings involved between the partners, that much he could tell.

"Word on the street is that a man from out of town has been buying up guns, explosives... pretty much anything he can get his hands on." Ranger began.

"Got a name?" Booth asked, taking a protective step closer to Brennan. It was then that Ranger decided that those two were a unit, can't get one without the other.

Ranger responded with a nod.

**Reviews are encouraging to continue…**


	4. By her side

**Once again thanks for the continuous support:D**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD**

"Babe." Stephanie stiffened at Ranger's call, instantly chastising herself. Oh, but her body was traitorous.

"Yeah?" She tore her gaze away from the computer screen in front of her.

"I have to go out and I want you to stay with Temperance." She dumbly stared at him. He was asking her to take care of his _woman_!

"I'm not done with the searches you assigned me." It was a cheap excuse, but worth giving it a shot. What would she do with the woman? They didn't even know each other and were probably very different.

"You can use my computer." Ranger motioned for her to follow him. "I want you by her side until I get back." He told her seriously as they headed for the elevator. Stephanie nodded. He's done her lots of favors over the years and watching over his out of town _friend_ was definitely up there with repayment.

B&B

"I want to go." Brennan placed her hands on her hips, holding her ground. After Ranger filled Booth in he'd received a call for a meeting.

"Someone wants you dead!" Booth gritted out, fighting to keep his smile hidden. She looked too cute all flustered and angry because she wasn't invited to take a trip to the police station.

"Exactly!" Brennan huffed, waving her hands in the air. "I wasn't able to identify the remains." She repeated that all she was able to do was state that the remains weren't those of Ranger's right hand man.

"I get that!" Booth invaded her personal space and tried to talk some sense into her. "But if you're dead you won't be able to ID anybody's remains." He took in a deep breath in order to calm himself down. "I'll go with this Ranger guy to the police station and see what new info they have." Booth draped an arm around her shoulders, crushing her to him. "It appears this is the safest place for you to be in right now."

"Fine." Brennan compromised. "But I don't like it." She added, a small smile escaping her lips.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to." Booth grinned at her.

B&B

Brennan sat on the living room couch, once again reviewing the examination's recording. Stephanie sat opposite her, rereading the information she was going to pass over to Ranger.

"So…" Stephanie began when she placed the file on the coffee table. "How long have you and Ranger known each other?" Brennan stared at the woman for a beat, not really knowing what to say.

"Well, we met briefly in extremely _delicate_ circumstances a several years ago." Brennan answered.

"Oh." Stephanie nodded. There was so much that she didn't know about Ranger's mysterious life. If Brennan had told her she met Ranger in the moon, Stephanie would have believed it because with Ranger anything was _possible_.

Before silence stretched between them Stephanie's cell phone rang.

"Uhmm…." Stephanie silently cursed. She was being told that one of her big bonds was in his house in that exact instant and she could be there in less than five minutes and catch him totally unprepared. "I can't leave Rangeman."

"You don't have to neglect your obligations as a fugitive apprehension agent because of me." Brennan stood from the couch. "I can go with you."

"_Stephanie_?" Stephanie kept the phone glued to her ear, eyeing Brennan. She'd witnessed how Brennan struck one of Ranger's men. The woman definitely had skills and besides Ranger only said to stay _by_ the woman's side…

"Thanks. I'll be right there." Stephanie hung up and stood, hitching her bag higher on her shoulder. Brennan limped to the bedroom to retrieve the gun Ranger had provided.

"Ready." Brennan announced, tucking the gun snug to her backbone.

"You sure you can tag along?" Truth was Stephanie wasn't too excited to go after the humungous wrestler gone FTA, even if she did have help from the anthropologist.

"Yes." Brennan assured she would follow intructions from her, an experienced bounty hunter.

_Oh boy!_ Stephanie did a mental sigh. _I defiantly need a new job._

B&B

Booth walked side by side with Ranger, heading back to the other man's SUV. Ranger's cell phone rang as they exited the building. He listened in silence for a few heartbeats.

"Follow them and give me an address." The tight line to his mouth told Booth the news wasn't good. Booth knew what that expression meant; it was the same one he got whenever Bones, the woman he _loved_, went out and did something stupid like needlessly exposing herself to danger.

**Oh, oh. Next chappie we'll see what kind of mess the anthropologist and bounty hunter get themselves into. One FBI agent will be extremely pissed at his partnerXD**

**Reviews are very much appreciated.**


	5. Not happy

**I apologize for the delay, but I've been studying for a chem test this Tuesday (wish me luck). **

**Thanks for the continued support. This chap's mostly the apprehension scene, next chap we'll get back to who's after Brennan and newer clues;)**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD **

Stephanie drove past the house of her skip, making a u-turn at the end of the block and driving back.

They sat in silence watching the house from across the street.

"What now?" Brennan asked, her eagerness to learn evident in her enthusiasm.

"We make sure he's in the house." Stephanie explained a phone call would do the trick. "Can you call?" She told Brennan the man knew her number and would easily recognize her voice.

Brennan dialed the number listed in the man's file.

"_Whaddaya want_?" Came the aggressive response.

Brennan shot raised eyebrows at Stephanie. When the bounty hunter gestured for her to stall more time, Brennan got the message.

As Brennan spouted out facts and invented a fake survey questionnaire, Stephanie smiled. The woman was all right.

"The only background noise was the drone of the television." Brennan informed after the man rudely hung up on her.

"Alright." Stephanie mustered up her confidence, angling out of the vehicle.

"What happens now?" Brennan followed her to the front door.

"We knock on his door and I remind him he didn't show up for his court date while trying to persuade him to come with me to reschedule."

"But that's not how it's going to happen?" Brennan stated more than asked as the bounty hunter rang the door bell.

"Wha-" Brennan noted the man's height was around six-two, well built and _definitely_ angry. Recognition graced his features and he gasped, pointing a finger at Stephanie. "You!" And he slammed the door shut. "I'm not going to jail!" He shouted.

"Damn." Stephanie gritted out. She didn't even have the chance to get a word out.

Movement could be heard through the closed door. "He's going out back." Stephanie muttered.

"I'll take this side." Brennan piped in, already rounding one side of the house.

Stephanie stood there for a beat, completely stupefied. She'd just lost Brennan from her sight!

"Wait!" She called before risking it and running the opposite side.

"Stop! Or I'll kick you in the testicles!" Brennan shouted, intersecting the man's path.

The man gave Brennan a confused look before he bolted the other way.

Stephanie's eyes widened in horror as she watched the man barreling her way. She quickly searched her shoulder bag for her stun gun, hand cuffs, pepper spray, for anything! Her hand curled around the stun gun as the man collided against her, knocking her to the ground and leaving her gasping for air.

Brennan took after the man, choosing to ignore the slight sting coming from her wounded thigh.

"Stop or I'll shoot." Brennan was bluffing, but the man had his back to her and totally bought it, coming to a sudden halt.

"You can't shoot an unarmed man." He shrieked. Brennan reached his side just as the man took a step forward, taking a hold of the back of his shirt in an effort to stop him.

Her grip was fierce, but the man was strong and very determined to get away, dragging her behind him until he reached the front lawn.

The sound of screeching tires startled the man, giving Brennan the perfect opportunity. Grabbing his left arm and keeping it behind his back Brennan applied enough pressure to bring him to his knees.

"We'll take it from here." Two men in black cargo pants and Rangeman tee's cuffed the man and walked him to a shiny black SUV.

"Hmm." Brennan wondered if it was from adrenaline or exhaustion, but she thought she'd caught at least _one_ of Ranger's men smiling.

Another shiny black SUV screeched to stop near the house and when Brennan turned to see who it was, she gulped.

Booth had his door open even before Ranger parked. His partner looked okay, and he sure as hell hoped she was okay. He saw her gulp and did an internal grin.

_That's right._ She was in big trouble.

"Booth…" Brennan started as she watched him take a few long strides, headed her way.

"Bones." Booth ground out, the worry and helplessness he'd felt during the drive surfacing again.

A pair of black boots came into her line of vision and Stephanie groaned. It was mostly because she knew it was Ranger.

"Babe." He stared down at her for a beat, teeth clenched before he scooped her up.

B&B 

The drive back to Rangeman was spent in silence.

Ranger held Stephanie's arm and lead the way to his office near the control room.

Booth followed Brennan to the Ranger's apartment, closing the door after himself.

"Bones." He called before she fled to the bedroom. "What the hell were you thinking going out?" He walked towards her. "Putting yourself in danger like that?" His eyes softened for a moment as he brushed her hair behind her ears.

"Miss Plum works for Ranger. His personnel have proven to be highly skilled..." Having him close, smelling his unique Boothy scent was distracting. "She's an experienced bounty hunter and Ranger assigned her to stay with me until you came back."

"Yeah, stay with you. NOT take you on a capture." Booth's temper rose again and he had to count to ten and recite a few sport stats to calm down.

"I was the one who…" Brennan wasn't easily intimidated and she trusted Booth, yet she found herself taking a step back. He was upset and she could sense the intensity of the moment building.

For the past couple of months she'd also experienced the shift in their partnership. They'd rebuild their partnership and strengthened more than a work relationship.

"I promised you a fun and non-working vacation." He cleared the distance between them, resting his forehead against hers. "And for that _you_ need to stay alive." His breath hit her face as he spoke and Brennan felt a delicious shiver run through her.

"How did it go at the meeting?" Brennan wanted to know if new leads or bodies had surfaced.

"Hmm, nice try." Booth actually smiled at her attempt to change the subject, taking a step back in order to see her face. "Seriously, Bones. It's dangerous for you out there right now. Do you have any idea how big of a target you were? Exposing yourself by going after that idiot who missed his court date?" Booth placed his hands on his hips, going for an authoritative stance.

"I know." She mentally acknowledged she hadn't really thought it through, which was very unlike her.

"Hey, I know you're not the kind of person to just sit back and wait for things to resolve themselves." He wanted to kiss away her frown, but reminded himself he was not happy with her actions at the moment.

There'd be time for kisses later, now he had new found details to fill her in… before she went out to find out for herself. 


	6. Fear

**Wow, thanks to those of you who've read and reviewed so far. This chap is all B&B:) Booth finds out why Brennan's helping Ranger.**

**A thanks to chymom for giving this chap a look over before I posted.**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD **

Booth munched on the last of his dinner, silently contemplating the current situation. Though he'd gotten through to Brennan, he still couldn't shake off the bad feeling he had about the whole thing. He'd been so angry at her for going out and risking her life but had feared he'd lose control over his anger and say or do something he'd regret. Keeping his anger in check wasn't always easy and he knew what it could lead to.

His inner musings were interrupted when he spotted Brennan in the living room.

"Uh, what are you doing?" He asked incredulously, watching her movements.

"I'm going to sleep." Brennan stated, placing a pillow and a blanket on the carpeted floor next to the couch.

Booth narrowed his eyes at the stubborn woman. She'd offered him the bed, thoughtful of his bad back. He'd refused, not wanting her to sleep on the couch (and not wanting to sleep in some other man's bed). Booth appreciated Ranger giving up his apartment to them and he knew Ranger had already acknowledged there was a deep bond between him and his partner. Booth had noticed the same thing between Ranger and the bounty hunter woman. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't _know_ what had inclined Brennan to return the favor to Ranger that made him dislike the stay in the other man's place.

Booth lay on the couch, still thinking. He stared up at the ceiling in the darkness, unable to fall asleep. When he heard a faint groan from below, he rolled his eyes.

"See, I told you not to sleep on the floor, Bones." Booth looked down on her. Brennan whimpered in response. "Bones?" Booth narrowed his eyes, sitting up when she didn't answer. He turned on the nearest lamp, dimly illuminating the room.

"No." Brennan sobbed in her sleep. Booth knelt by her side, lightly tapping a shoulder to get her to wake up.

"Hey, it's alright." He soothed. "It's just a nightmare. Wake up." Booth knew what it was like; he'd had quite a few nightmares himself. As much as he wished her happy, peaceful dreams he knew her life, like his, wasn't full of roses.

"NO!" Brennan shouted this time.

"Bones, wake up." Booth tried to place his hands on her arms in an effort to wake her up. Brennan slapped his hands away, shaking her head from side to side.

As he doubled his effort to wake her up, she continued to squirm in his grasp.

"Get away!"

"Wake up!"

They both voiced at the same time, with her pushing him away.

Brennan sat up; gasping for air and feeling cold sweat run down her back.

"Booth?" She squinted her eyes in his direction, wondering what he was doing on the floor.

"You alright?" He questioned with concern, having never witnessed such a scene despite the numerous times along the years with them sharing a room while working on a case.

"Ye-…" She nodded when she couldn't find her voice. She fell back on the floor, covering her eyes with one arm and working on calming her breathing.

_It was just a dream. Just a dream…_

It had been years since she'd relieved that scene in dreams. Thanks to that experience she'd learned to deal with those kinds of people; people who fed off fear.

"Here." Booth handed her a glass of water, which she gulped down in no time.

"Thank you." Brennan gave him a weak smile.

"You know talking about nightmares helps…" Booth offered.

"Using psychology on me?" She asked with a hint of amusement. "I hate psychology." Brennan mumbled, shifting her gaze away from his.

_You were screaming and fighting in your sleep, Bones._ He thought.

"Sometimes after a long and tiring day, when the soles of my feet are killing me…" Booth decided to follow the advice he once gave her: offer up a bit of yourself first. "That's when I see those assholes' faces in my dreams."

Brennan knew what he was talking about. She knew that athletic toned body had endured several tortures.

She also knew that he'd used the 'offer a bit about yourself' card in hopes of getting her to open up to him.

_Partners, they share things._

She trusted him.

Brennan began by telling him that years ago, before their partnership, she'd gone to a dig in Central America to help with the identification of bodies found in an unmarked mass grave. She went on to explain that a soldier, or it could have been a cop, it was difficult to tell, ordered her to stop with her examination.

"Or I'd end up the same way." Booth swallowed, listening attentively.

"I was kept in a dirt cell." Brennan continued with her relate. "This man, he came in there every day and made me believe I was going to _die_." She choked with emotion on the last word.

"How…" He had to clear his throat in order to swallow the lump that was preventing him from speaking. "How long were you kept there?"

"Later I found it'd only been three days, though it'd felt much longer to me." Brennan finally met his gaze, telling him it'd been a long time since she'd dreamt about it. When she told him Ranger was the man in charge of the team that successfully got her and other hostages out, it finally clicked into place for Booth.

_Bones' showing him her gratitude for getting her out. That's why she accepted and left DC._ _She never got the chance to thank him all those years ago._

He cringed, remembering how a certain ex war correspondent had shown _him_ her gratitude under a fig tree while he was overseas.

Bones was one of the good guys, through and through. He admired and loved so many things about her. The thought of her undergoing any kind of danger and being tortured made him want to hurl.

"It's over." Booth scooted closer to her side, draping an arm over her shoulder in comfort. "He can't hurt you anymore. You're safe. _I'm here_." He crushed her to his side, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Rationally speaking, I know that." Brennan added in a soft whisper, finding relaxing with his proximity and half embrace.


	7. Eliminating the line

**Once again I'd like to thank all of you for your support. It's good to see that the story is being read and enjoyed. In this chapter we get a more of B&B advancement and a bit more case.**

**Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox and the Plum universe to Janet Evanovich. No infringement intended, written for fun purposesXD **

Ranger's housekeeper entered the apartment with a loaded breakfast tray. She kept her movements silent, not wanting to disturb the guests. Finding the partners holding each other in their sleep wasn't such a big surprise, but finding them on the floor was. She set the tray on the kitchen counter before leaving.

Despite the woman's silent movements, Booth was alerted of her presence the second the lock turned. He opened his eyes when they were once again left alone.

A soft smile graced his lips at the sight before him. Brennan's head rested against his chest, with an arm wrapped around his waist. He had his own arms wrapped around her form and if it weren't for his aching back he'd of stayed like that indefinitely. Careful not to disrupt her sleep, Booth shifted onto his back. The movement elicited a short sigh from her.

"_Oh_." His breathless moan was brought on by her right leg slipping between his, pressing their bodies front to front.

He tried to distract himself by going over the previous night's revelation. He'd held her for a long while after, until sleep claimed her again. Fortunately her sleep wasn't disturbed again.

"Good morning." Brennan mumbled against his chest several minutes later, stretching lazily before sitting up.

"Mornin', Bones." He returned, hoping her gaze didn't drop below his waist and lingered on his body's response to her close proximity. "Did you sleep good?" He decided on a distraction.

"Yes." She smiled down at him, leaning close and kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"No need for thanks." He breathed out, staring right into her eyes.

"Mmm, I smell coffee." She pulled back, hiding her smile at the hunger awakened in him. She was fairly certain his hunger wasn't for _food_.

Walking into the kitchen Brennan took in the food as she poured herself a cup of coffee. After all the ups and downs between her and Booth in the past year she was ready for a change in pace. 'Hanging out' as Angela called it wasn't all Brennan wanted to do with her partner. The love and protection he oozed the previous night after she woke up from her nightmare was further evidence of how deep a connection they shared. She hoped the current mess would be resolved soon because she was really looking forward to spending the rest of her vacation _relaxing with Booth_.

"Coffee?" Brennan called over shoulder as she heard the rustling of clothing in the living room. In response to her question Booth grunted.

He found Brennan staring at him when he looked up. "You hurt your back again." She stated, taking a slow sip from her coffee.

"Maybe?" He offered with humor, attempting to sit up with little success.

"Flip over." Brennan ordered, placing her coffee on the small table next to the couch. After years of knowing about his back trouble, she knew exactly how to ease the discomfort.

"Wish I could." Booth mumbled, managing to move onto his right side.

"I told you the couch wouldn't be good for your back." Brennan teased, helping him move onto his front. Booth lost all ability to use a comeback when she straddled his rear. She slipped her hands under his tee, kneading the flesh.

She'd spent a good amount of time working out the knots and kinks, but her touch lingered in a soft caress. Neither voiced the implications of the intimate moment, but they both acknowledge the silent understanding; _the line_ was finally crossed and erased.

"Oh yes!" Booth moaned loudly at the sudden realization.

"Oh my! I'm sorry to interrupt." Stephanie covered her eyes, coming to a sudden halt right by the door.

Both partners blinked in surprise at the woman. They'd been too caught up transmitting silent promises, excluding the outer world to notice that they were no longer alone.

Ranger grinned at Stephanie's reaction, not at all surprised at finding the partners sharing an intimate moment.

"What's the matter? Any news?" Booth managed to ask, staying flat on the floor even after he felt Brennan rise off him.

"I received a call from the police department this morning. The body's been IDed." Ranger informed. "We'll let you two get ready. I'll be in the control room." Ranger slung an arm around Stephanie's shoulders and showed her the way out.

B&B

"Tease." Booth told Brennan as waited for the elevator to go in search of Ranger and get more details.

"Me?" Brennan asked innocently.

"Oh no you don't." Booth backed her into the elevator, smiling wolfishly at her. "Get ready, Bones. There's a lot of catching up we gotta do." His lips brushed across hers, giving her a conspiratorial wink. "And I'm not letting you out of my sight." He grinned at her scowl.

The elevator dinged when they reached the desired floor and he reluctantly moved away from her to exit.

"I will not tolerate possessive displays." She gave him a glare as they started down the hall, heading over to the control room.

"You wouldn't have it any other away. It wouldn't be you, Bones." Booth shot her his charm smile, ready to put all his efforts into catching whoever was out to get his Bones so they could go back to DC and have some private time for themselves.

The partners were instantly aware of the sudden shift in atmosphere when they joined Ranger and his staff in the control room. They were huddled around a small table, where a packet lay.

"It was just delivered." Ranger locked eyes with Brennan. "It's addressed to you."

"It doesn't smell good." Booth's gut told him the situation had just taken an even nastier turn.

Brennan took out a pair of gloves from her shoulder bag and put them on, reaching for the packet.

"You sure you wanna open it?" Stephanie asked, watching as Brennan opened the small box, producing a bundle wrapped in a napkin with obvious blood stains.

The color drained from a few faces in the group as Brennan parted the napkin, revealing a finger.


	8. Trap

**Yay, and update! It's been a while since I've updated and since this was my weekend off, I took some time to post this chapter. There's a couple chaps left on this one, but I'll try and update one more time in this upcoming week.**

**Thanks for all the great support on this story. I'd like to know if you like this chapter:D**

**Stark Street: You wouldn't want to get caught there at night (or even during the dayXD, lower stark st. is pretty much no man's land.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything; written for fun purposes.**

"I do not like this." Ranger told Booth in a confidential whisper.

"No kidding." Booth added. He too disliked the whole mess. First, the man Brennan was brought to ID turned out to be a RangeMan former employee. And Booth was pretty certain that finger sent to Brennan was from Ranger's right hand man, Tank. As far as Booth was concerned it seemed the target was Ranger.

B&B

"Seeing that hacked off finger was...ugg..." Stephanie shuddered.

"It was...disturbing." Brennan agreed, only half aware of the woman's pacing in front of her. Brennan was anxious to say the least as she waited for Booth and Ranger to give an update. She felt helpless just sitting and waiting.

B&B

Booth and Ranger nodded slightly as the officer informed them what they already knew; whose severed finger it was.

"There was a report of suspicious activity in an abandoned warehouse on lower Stark." The officer sighed, obviously frustrated.

"But?" Booth questioned, sensing there was a problem. The officer sent a glance at Ranger. Booth understood the officer's annoyance. "Look, I understand having to inform a Fed of your every move must not be of your liking, but I'm here to help."

The officer nodded and told them the anonymous tip's description of the warehouse fit three locations. "I don't dispose of enough people to hit all three at the same time." Perhaps the warehouse tip was nothing more than a few harmless squatters, but on the other hand it could lead them to the killer.

"I do." Ranger stated, already dialing his command center to round up his men.

B&B

Stephanie jumped when the doorbell rang and walked towards it. A RangeMan employee greeted them.

"Your presence is required at the station for questioning." The man motioned for the women to exit the apartment and follow him.

On the ride to the parking garage Stephanie wondered why Ranger had sent the new guy to drive them instead of sending someone she was more familiar with. Deciding that wasn't really relevant Stephanie followed the man out of the elevator.

They reached a black van and the man opened the back for them to get in, stating it was to minimize Brennan's chance of being a target on the streets.

Though his explanation seemed to make sense, Brennan felt a tug in the pit of her stomach.

"I don't feel comfortable with this." Brennan held her ground, her alertness of danger increasing with every breath. "I'd rather wait for Booth and Ranger. If the police have questions..."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." He reached into his pocket and before Brennan had a chance to react she felt a sizzling course through her followed by blackness.

B&B

Two of the warehouses were nothing but trash. The third had obvious signs of usage.

Booth watched the techs take a sample from a blood stain on the surface of a broken wood board. The place was also being swept for finger prints.

Ranger's cell phone rang and Booth turned his gaze on him.

"What do you mean someone tapped into our system?" Ranger ground out as his hand instinctively gripped the cell phone tighter.

..

On the hurried drive back to RangeMan Booth dialed Brennan's number nonstop. Every time he got her voicemail his gut twisted with worry.

Ranger screeched to a halt in front of the main entrance, not bothering to park in the garage.

Booth headed straight to the seventh floor; too anxious to wait for the elevator he took the stairs. He found the door unlocked, bursting into the apartment.

"Bones!" He called her name, desperate to hear an answer. He searched every inch of the place and didn't find her.

When Booth joined Ranger in the control room he found him talking to one of his men.

"When I got here the office was unmanned." Ramon stated, feeling uncomfortable under his boss's heated stare.

"The girls aren't in the apartment." Booth placed his hands on his hips, finally working on catching his breath.

Ranger passed a hand over his face.

"It was a set up to get to the Bones." Booth kicked a chair and let out a four letter curse word.

**To be continued…**

**Reviews are appreciated:D**


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